Baltimore principals' union president Jimmy Gittings recognizes that school prayer is unconstitutional but defends it anyway ("Prayers at city school before tests criticized," March 14). He blames the constitutional ban for a loss of respect for teachers and administrators over a 50 year period. There are many documented reasons for the problems of city schools, but Mr. Gittings adds a disregard for the rights of all students in order to advance a sectarian agenda.

Prayer before tests may be common, but preparation and study should make it unnecessary. Divine intervention would actually skew the results and render MSAs invalid.

James Kramer